


I'd Do Anything For Your Smile

by addendum



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Birthday Parties, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Playing Twister
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 11:42:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9070159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/addendum/pseuds/addendum
Summary: Nico hates parties, but he loves his boyfriend.





	

The view from Will and Nico's fifth story apartment was pretty, in the cliche way that any spot in the city was. Every corner and crevice of New York City could be described as compelling or beautiful or fascinating in some way or another, it was why Nico loved it. Even if a few of its characteristics could also attributed to the underworld, (both were oftentimes cold and damp, for example) Nico found that the two places were polar opposites in many cases. The underworld was dark, dismal. New York City was ever exciting and endlessly bright. 

Nico liked that. He had spent much of his formative years living under the assumption that because his roots lay in The Underworld and with his father, Nico himself could only ever have darkness inside him. He knew now that this notion was both false and harmful, but he still found comfort in being associated with light. Maybe that was part of the reason he loved Will so goddamn much. 

As he looked out on the cityscape now, though, he felt an anxious tug in his belly. Today was his boyfriend's 23rd birthday, and Nico wanted it to be perfect, or close to it. Last year on Annabeth's birthday, Percy threw her the most extravagant celebration anyone had ever seen. Very public. Every Camp Half Blood alumni was in attendance. When Hazel turned 22, Frank took her on an intimate and very romantic getaway to Rome. Nico wanted to give Will something that lay somewhere in between these two extremes. 

If he remained at the window, admiring the skyscrapers and tourists and very pointedly not turning to look at Will's sleeping form, Nico could probably convince himself that throwing a surprise party wasn't necessary. But he did glance behind him, and he did see Will sleeping soundly, and Nico knew how much his boyfriend deserved something special. Nico also knew how much Will enjoyed parties. He was almost perpetually cheerful, a total social butterfly. Nico was most decidedly not; parties made him nauseous and a little light headed. He and Will often left social gatherings early because of this. 

Nico felt guilty for always holding his partner back from these events due to his own anxieties. Not that Will ever complained of course, he was happy to stay home with Nico, but Nico still felt obligated to compensate with this idea for a surprise party. It wasn't fair that Will always sacrificed so much for Nico and got nothing in return. 

Nico felt a nervous pull in his stomach, thinking suddenly about the party and everything sure to go wrong. It would be far too loud for his liking, for one thing. And what if Will didn't have a good time? What if Nico hadn't ordered the right food? Or invited the right people? Maybe all the people he'd invited were more Nico's friends than Will's. What if Will got upset? Nico groaned aloud at the prospect, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and pointer finger. Turning around to face the opposite direction, he saw that Will's eyes were open and he was sitting up in bed, smiling. 

"What's wrong, angel?" Will inquired, still smiling but tilting his head to the side and knitting his eyebrows together in a fashion that indicated concern. For a moment Nico was unsure why, but then recalled his previous outburst. 

"Oh! Nothing, Will, I just have a headache. But why are we talking about me? Happy birthday!" Nico said, grinning and make his way over to the bed to crawl back in next to his boyfriend. Will wrapped an arm around Nico's waist, planting a kiss to his forehead. 

"Thanks, Nico. Do you wanna go get coffee somewhere?" He wondered. 

"Anything you want." 

••••

A couple of Will's siblings had taken him on an outing in order to remove him from the premises so Nico could arrange the party, leaving the young couple's humble living room filled with brightly colored balloons, streamers and chattering demigods. Piper had very kindly offered to bake a cake for the occasion and was currently perfecting its decorations as Percy jokingly lamented its lack of blue pigmentation. Hazel and Calypso were trying to convince Leo to cut his hair. Reyna had arrived with her own dark hair in loose curls but was currently putting it back into a French braid. Nico didn't think she liked parties very much either. 

Nico was standing to the side, obsessively glancing at his phone's clock and clenching his hand into a tight fist, something he did when he was nervous. If Will was there, he would have gently unclenched it and intertwined their fingers. Come to think of it, Bianca would probably have done the same. Nico took a deep breath in. In for seven. Hold for four. Out for seven. Will had taught him that technique for relieving tension. 

"Are you okay, Nico?" A voice behind him asked. He startled, and turned to see Annabeth smiling kindly, concern written all over her face. She looked so beautiful, blonde curls falling around her face, softening it. 

"Yeah, I'm okay." Nico replied, giving her a forced smile. "Just kind of nervous, you know? I want Will to like everything." He confessed, gesturing around the room. 

"Nico, Will is like, the nicest guy ever. And he loves you so much. He'd love anything you did for him." Annabeth reassured him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Nico only forced his smile wider and nodded. 

"Hey, guys!" Jason yelled suddenly. "Will's gonna be here soon, we should probably get into position!" 

Nico was grateful that he wouldn't have to continue the somewhat awkward conversation with Annabeth as he switched off the the overhead light.   
The partygoers quieted down for the most part, but some scattered whispering remained throughout the dimly lit room. Leo was making dumb jokes, causing everyone to simultaneously laugh and shush him. Eventually, footsteps could be heard outside the front door. Nico felt himself tense. 

The door swung open, and everyone burst into cheers and various shouting. Will's mouth dropped open in surprise before returning to its usual bright smile. Upon seeing it, Nico relaxed a little and immediately scurried towards his boyfriend, standing on his toes to wrap his arms tightly around Will's neck. Will sensed his nerves and gently rubbed his back. 

"Thank you," he whispered, kissing Nico's cheek. Nico blushed at the simple yet sweet token of affection and grabbed his boyfriend's hand, steadying himself. 

"Happy Birthday, dude!" Percy exclaimed, eliciting another cheer. Will beamed. 

"I totally didn't expect this, you guys!" He replied, squeezing Nico's hand. 

"Can we eat now?" Leo asked, already licking his fingers of some leftover residue. Calypso groaned and rolled her eyes but Will laughed, walking towards the table of food himself. This encouraged the others to do so as well, and everyone excitedly dug in. As they grabbed food, everyone began to settle into the living room. Will pulled Nico into his lap and began to absentmindedly run his fingers through the other boy's dark hair. 

"Shouldn't we be playing a game of some kind?" Reyna suggested, picking pepperonis from off of her pizza. 

"Yeah, dude!" Leo agreed excitedly looking around the room for support. "I brought Twister!" 

"Oh, that would be fun!" Piper agreed enthusiastically. 

"I love that game! I make Annabeth play it with me all the time!" Percy cried, looking at his girlfriend, who nodded and rolled her eyes in annoyed confirmation.

"Yeah, that game is great!" Will announced enthusiastically. "Can we play?" The others shrugged neutrally, as Leo ran to get the game from his bag. Nico guessed it might be fun, if it a bit uncomfortable. Percy and Leo began laying out the Twister mat. Will let go of Nico's hand to go stand over them in anticipation. 

"Uh, I'll just do the spinning thing." Frank offered, taking his arm from around Hazel's shoulders to walk towards the others. Damn. Nico was kind of hoping he could get away with doing that job. He sighed and lifted himself from the chair to stand next to Will. 

"I'm fine just watching as well." Reyna added. 

"Um, I actually don't think this mat is big enough for all of us to play, now that I think about it." Leo said, sounding disappointed.

"What a shame," Annabeth said sarcastically. Percy stuck his tongue out playfully at her. 

"Okay, how about me, you, Hazel, and Percy go first?" Jason suggested. "And then Piper, Will, and Nico?" The others had all seemingly opted out. 

"Sounds good." Will said, winking playfully at his boyfriend. Nico blushed, smiling shyly. 

The first group began to play, with Frank calling out each newly assigned position. Jason and Percy became rather competitive, while Hazel looked sincerely focused and Leo just screwed around. Unsurprisingly, he was the first to fall. Jason and Percy continued to stare each other down with comically solemn expressions for the current situation, until Percy fell, taking Jason down with him. Hazel grinned proudly as everyone clapped for her, walking towards Frank for a congratulatory kiss. 

The next group made their way to the mat, Will and Nico jokingly glaring each other with competitive expressions, making fun of their friends. Frank began to announce where each person needed to place their hands and feet. Within forty five seconds, Nico could tell he was going to lose. 

In a cruel twist of fate, his boyfriend was leaning directly across his own body, making him nervous. Of course he and Will had been much closer in the past, but it was different in a room front of all their friends. The amused giggles coming from everyone else in the room did not help. Nico could feel his face heating up, and cursed himself for choosing now to imagine he and Will alone, and with considerably less clothes on. Will leaned down to whisper in his boyfriend's ear. 

"Hey, baby," he said teasingly, earning a laugh from his friends. Nico however, lost his balance, causing Will to do the same as they both collapsed in a heap of giggles. Piper cheered triumphantly, and stood up. 

"Okay, I think that's enough Twister for one night," Nico said when he and Will stopped laughing. No one argued, especially Annabeth. 

"Maybe we could have the cake now?" Hazel suggested, looking hopeful. 

"Oh, yeah!" Will agreed. Piper made her way over to cut into it as everyone followed her into the kitchen. 

"This is great, Piper!" Hazel said when she took a bite. Everyone nodded in agreement and Piper shyly thanked them. 

After each person got a slice, they headed back into the living room to open presents. 

"Open me and Jason's gift first!" Piper exclaimed, handing Will a perfectly wrapped package. He opened it to reveal a poetry book. 

"I hope children of Apollo liking poetry isn't just a stereotype!" Piper said, concerned. 

"No, it's great!" Will assured her with a chuckle. "Thanks, you guys!" 

Will continued opening his gifts, which included a new archer's bow and a pair of sunglasses, among other things. He saved Nico's gift for last. It came in a small, velvet box. Nico sincerely hoped he liked it, both because he loved Will and because it hadn't been very cheap. When Will opened it, he beamed. It was a silver bracelet with a charm hanging from it in the shape of his first initial, a W. 

"Aw, babe! I love it!" He exclaimed honestly, giving Nico a kiss on the cheek before putting it around his wrist. Their friends, especially Calypso, oohed and ahed. The group chatted for a while longer, but they knew the night was coming to a close when Leo began to yawn. Will and Nico walked their guests to the door to bid them goodnight. Frank and Hazel were the last to leave. 

"Great party, guys! And happy birthday again, Will!" Hazel said after giving her a brother a lingering hug. 

"Thank you! Let's have dinner soon!" Will said before closing the door on the couple and turning to face his boyfriend. He leaned into brush their lips softly together. 

"Thanks for putting that all together, Nico. I know how you feel about parties." 

"I love you a lot more than I hate parties," Nico half joked, smiling. 

"I love you too, angel. But hey, there's one thing this party was missing." He said, causing Nico to frown slightly, confused. "Dancing. Will you dance with me, Nico?" 

"Always." Nico replied, smile returning. Will attached his phone to a speaker, and put on one of he and Nico's favorite slow songs. He placed his hands firmly on his boyfriend's waste, and Nico rested his head in the crook of Will's neck as they began to sway. 

"Happy Birthday, Will." Nico whispered, remembering all over again why he wanted so badly to throw this boy the perfect party.


End file.
